Chemistry 101 Study Guide

Chemistry 101 Study GuideChemistry 101 study guide can help you in furthering your science studies. It is usually the starting point for chemistry students. The study guides contain easy to understand explanations and exercises that you can use for practice. They are helpful for people who are new to chemistry as well as those who are already a veteran in the field.If you are planning to study chemistry, it is important to start from scratch. It may take some time for you to understand the subject matter. You need to have the basic knowledge of the subject as it helps you to know the complexities of the science. There are many online resources that help you in this regard. They also help you in understanding the subject.Online resources are the best for you if you want to start from scratch and still study. Some study guides also offer step by step information so that you can find out how to study chemistry and do it effectively. These guides can be useful if you want to study chemis try on your own as you need to take it seriously and not get bored with the subject.If you think that science requires your commitment, then don't expect it to be easy. Do remember that you will need to study more than two hours every day. This is a difficult task but will surely be worth it in the end.It can greatly benefit you in the future if you plan to continue your studies after graduation. You can get great opportunities that can help you find a good job. Chemistry is such a fascinating subject that can help you make the most of your life.It is important to find out how much time you need to spend in studying. It is never a good idea to study full time if you need to save money. One of the best things about chemistry is that it can give you many benefits.It can help you in building your confidence and can help you in deciding what career you should pursue. It can help you get a job in a company where you will get a good salary. Chemistry is an interesting and challenging fiel d.

A Day in the LIfe at Arizona State University

A Day in the LIfe at Arizona State University The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Jennifer is a Phoenix tutor who specializes in Statistics tutoring, Anatomy tutoring, Biology tutoring, and more. She is a 2010 graduate of Arizona State University with a Bachelors degree in Biological Sciences. Check out her review of her alma mater: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Jennifer: The main campus at Arizona State University is pretty large, but there are definitely many transportation options. I got around just fine on a bicycle, but I also commuted in my last year of college. The light rail system also makes it easier to get to campus from the East or West Valley. They are currently expanding the light rail system, which will only make it easier to get to campus. The campus is very safe. Its well lit and highly populated, so I never felt afraid walking alone, even at night. VT:How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Jennifer: The professors are a little harder to come by because they are generally really busy. I attended the School of Life Sciences, and many professors were busy with research. The academic advisers were helpful and available to me when I needed to schedule a meeting. The teaching assistants in general were very good and understood their subjects. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Jennifer: I did not live in a dorm. However, I had friends who lived in the dorms, and they were nice. There are plenty of dining options in and around campus, so finding a good meal isnt hard to do. Tempe is centrally located in the Phoenix Valley, so you can zip across town either way with ease. The shopping around the area is pretty good, as well. Tempe Marketplace has a decent shopping complex, as well as several eateries and bars if you need to relax after a hard week of classes. ASU also has many clubs and organizations you may choose to join. I myself did not join any particular club, but I did participate in a few club outings for ultimate Frisbee. Its a good way to get to know some people on campus and stay active. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Jennifer: The Business program and the research-related programs and majors are very good at ASU. I studied Biological Science with an emphasis in Genetics, Cell Biology, and Developmental Biology because they are subjects that I have an interest in. They are also well developed by the university. ASU supported me in my particular area of study when I needed it most. They assisted me in finding a good fit for my final internship course that ended up taking me out of the country to study for two months. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Jennifer: I did not attend ASU my freshman year, but from my perspective, it seemed like there was a positive vibe flowing through the campus that made meeting new people very simple. I did not participate in a sorority. It seemed like they were well established on campus, but that they did not make it easier or more difficult to make friends if you were not a part of Greek life. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Jennifer: The job fairs for my specific department allowed me to see what industries and businesses were hiring ASU graduates before I left campus. A lot of great companies and entities choose their talent from ASU because of its reputation as a research institution and also its excellent business school. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Jennifer: There are a huge variety of study areas at ASU. Finding a place to study was not difficult and did not require a long walk or commute. Some areas are busier than others, but for the most part they are not over-crowded and are well kept. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Jennifer: There are plenty of things to do for fun around Tempe, AZ. I really enjoyed the variety of places to eat, recreate, and experience the culture of Arizona. I think the light rail system makes it easier than ever before to travel to downtown Phoenix, where there are sporting events, arts, and fine dining. There are also lots of fun nightlife activities going on. If you decide to stick around the campus area, Mill Avenue shops, bars, and restaurants are right across the street from campus. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Jennifer: The ASU main campus alone is home to tens of thousands of students. It is a very large campus, but I felt that the class size was comparable to other large universities. In the higher-level courses, the class size was kept very low, so I felt that this made the instruction seem more individualized. I was able to talk directly with the professor(s) when necessary. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Jennifer: One experience that I both loved and regretted the most was when I took a lab that was nearly seven hours long. The beginning of the semester started off with no A/C in the room (it was August in Arizona), and people were sweating and dropping like flies. I remember quite a few people dropped after that miserable day, but everything was fine after that! It ended up being one of my favorite courses. Check out Jennifers tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

How to Prepare a Portuguese Course

How to Prepare a Portuguese Course Getting Ready for Your Portuguese Class ChaptersWhat Will You Teach?What Materials Will You Use in Your Portuguese Courses?Using Media in Your Portuguese ClassesHow to Build a Lesson Plan for Every Portuguese Class You TeachI think we’ve all suffered at the hands of lackadaisical teachers; ones who seem to only care about calling the roll and then letting students do as they please.Conversely, we’ve all most likely had experience with a micromanaging teacher; one who breathes down students’ necks to make sure no lesson time is wasted.Either of those pedagogies may have gotten the job done â€" don’t we remember especially those teachers who made our class time uncomfortable?However, modern educational science supports the idea of teachers being ready for their charges, and being in charge at all times, with no discomfiting tactics allowed.What about you? How will you get ready to teach your Portuguese language classes?Whatever your methodology, let your Superprof give you a hand in planning your language course  and imparting vocabulary in such a way that your students thrive and learn under your guidance.ühl, a German word meaning ‘the feeling of the language’.It is true that any language’s native speakers give little thought as to why their grammar and vocabulary works as it does.Go ahead, put it to the test: ask any native English speaker why ‘would’ is pronounced ‘wood’ instead of phonetically â€" ‘woe-oo-l-d’?So, if Portuguese is your native language, you may have to slow your natural inclination toward rapid-fire Portuguese speaking down, and give a thought on how you will explain how to speak difficult words.Furthermore, you should take extra time going over verb conjugation, especially for irregular verbs!Textbooks are great classroom tools provided your students know how to learn from them! Source: Pixabay Credit: HermannWhat Materials Will You Use in Your Portuguese Courses?Here again, we recall those teachers whose over-reliance on textbooks left us vaguely hungry for better answers.Have you ever heard a teacher say: “Read your book! The answer is in there!”?Although there is nothing wrong with teachers insisting that their students make use of any phrase book selected for them, there is something so painful about a teacher with so little spontaneity that a question will throw the entire lesson off track.Thus it would behove you to not only choose your teaching materials well but to know them inside and out.Textbooks: do you have a few titles in mind?They should work as a tool to study, but not be the entire lesson. Otherwise, your students would soon get bored, reasoning that they don’t need any language classes if reading a book will give them the knowledge they seek.Language courses should generally be interactive and have a good balance of active and passive skills exercise.Except for Conversational Portuguese classes, where the focus would be on listening and speaking skills, all other classes should be fairly evenly divided betwe en reading and writing, listening and, of course, provide ample time for students to speak.Besides textbooks and worksheets, you may consider other classroom tools such as flashcards, posters and, if your teaching space is equipped with a computer and projector, you might design some Powerpoint presentations.Using Media in Your Portuguese ClassesGenerally speaking, it is not people under duress who undertake to learn a language. Most often, people seek to diversify their linguistic ability out of sheer desire.Thus it is a good idea that you, their instructor, to make the class as engaging, lively and fun as you can. One way to do so is to play Portuguese music â€" perhaps at the start of class, or you could build an entire lesson around music!Language and culture are intrinsic to each other. Therefore, as a Portuguese teacher, you must bring Portuguese culture to your students at every opportunity.You might build an entire class around the concept of Fado, for example, culminating i n students penning their own Fado lyrics to share with the class.Most emotive song wins!You may incorporate Portuguese movies into your curriculum. What a great way for your students to enjoy a slice of Portuguese culture all while being exposed to native speakers’ dialogue!What facilities can accommodate the noise and excitement of this type of Portuguese teaching methods?Naturally, you cannot simply show films every class, nor can you let everyone dance around and play music all of the time.You have to budget your lesson time carefully in order to meet learning goals.You may use such a planner or a formal lesson plan template to map out your Portuguese lessons Source: Pixabay Credit: Free-PhotosHow to Build a Lesson Plan for Every Portuguese Class You TeachA lesson plan is a teacher’s guide to each and every teaching session; one s/he drafts him/herself.Far from being static, a lesson plan should be a dynamic document, flexible in every way.That sounds rather counterintuitive â€" planning a lesson whose plan might change at any second, but every experienced language teacher will tell you that rigidity has no place in the classroom!Your basic lesson plan template comes with a header, which should include information such as: how many students for that lesson, what level Portuguese are they learning, what the topic of the lesson is and what teacher and student expectations are.There may also be a segment allotted to expected difficulties and how you might overcome them.The greater part of your lesson plan should be devoted to a minute by minute breakdown of classroom activities.Let’s say your lesson is scheduled to last 50 minutes; here is how to give a complete lesson in Portuguese in that time.For the first five minutes of class, you may engage in an icebreaker â€" a conversational activity designed to put your students at ease.A few rounds of ‘I spy’ would be effective if you have been studying colours: “I spy, with my little eye, something red! ” (spoken in Portuguese, of course!) and all the students should call out red objects, using only Portuguese words, until the correct one is guessed.The next portion of your lesson plan should indicate study time. This is the time that you would talk the most, imparting new language. This ‘study’ action may take up to 15 minutes but no more than 20.Once you’ve given your students that dose of new information â€" shown a film segment perhaps, or shared a song, it is time for them to get busy. There may be writing involved, either in groups, pairs or individually, after which they will do the talking.You may plan on 7-10 minutes for the writing portion, depending on the assignment given.So far, you have spent more than half your class time.For the next 15 minutes, it is your students’ turn: they will demonstrate their proficiency with the new knowledge when they speak Portuguese, incorporating the language instruction you have just imparted.You get to hang back. Listen, smil e, nod... correct mistakes?A word of advice: unless a mistake is severe and recurring â€" maybe someone consistently using phrases or verb tenses incorrectly, it would be best to not step in when an error is made, lest you dam the inspiration, confidence and competence.Unless it is a fantastically glaring mistake, you can safely wait till the last few minutes of class time to communicate those corrections.Besides possibly correcting any mistakes of Portuguese pronunciation or conversation, the last 5 minutes of the class should be dedicated to wrapping up this lesson with a teaser of the next one.A good wrap-up would be a word game, using just-learned vocabulary, or maybe serial conjugation: each student takes a pronoun until everyone has had a chance to shout out a verb ending.And then, it’s a cheerful ‘vemo-nos a próxima aula!’ as your students file out the door.Being well-prepared, knowing what you want to include in your curriculum â€" textbooks, films, podcasts and the l ike...If you have your activities well balanced and ways to ensure comprehension, you may confidently step in front of the class and give your students their best learning experience ever.Now discover how to set your rates for your Portuguese lessons...

How to Approach Learning Music 3 New Exercises to Try

How to Approach Learning Music 3 New Exercises to Try Suzy S. Whether youre learning Spanish or learning piano, youll find that both are complex  languages with lots of history and unique  jargon. In this guest post, Mike Lowden from Falls Music School  bridges the gap between music and language by explaining just how similar they really are As a music teacher, I spend a good amount of time explaining to my students how learning music should be approached in a similar style to learning a language. Most professional musicians and music teachers consistently refer to “the language of music,” as this is a parallel thats accepted worldwide. Musicians Learn to “Talk” Music Like How Toddlers Learn to Speak How do infants learn to speak their  first words? They listen to what’s around them and do their best to copy it. As they grow older, they learn how to speak full sentences just as theyre taught. As they grow older still, theyre influenced on how to speak by  friends and other social groups (e.g. a group of teenagers repetitively using the same slang) and use all of these different resources to eventually sound like themselves.” People don’t put very much thought into it. Listen to anyone talk; even though there might be  individual nuances, language is actually a culmination of sayings from ones  parent(s), friends, teachers, and other social influences. People learn to talk by blending their social experiences together. Why do you think accents exist in certain regions and someone who moves there might eventually develop an accent? It all depends on whats around you; we humans like to absorb what we hear. Defining Your Musical Influences This is exactly the same process that musicians go through; we listen to players we like and end up emulating their style. If you’re really into B.B. King, you’re going to do your best to play just like him. But maybe later you get into another player, so you learn how they “talk.” Eventually, everything you’ve learned from the music you’ve played goes into your tool belt of  self-expression. There are many artists out there who are known for their own unique style, but all of them had  influences that shaped who they became. Put it into practice: Find a musician you really enjoy and see if you can trace back their musical history, almost like a family tree. If you have trouble tracing the history yourself, you can usually find interviews where they discuss their musical influences. Take note of some of their signature licks or musical tricks and see if they can be traced back. Its fun just to see how far back you can trace! This can be an extremely enlightening exercise. Bonus points if you do this with your own playing. Building Your Vocabulary Having an extended vocabulary is extremely important when you’re trying to express ideas through both your native language and the language of music. “Bad” and “egregious” both essentially mean the same thing, but those two words have different connotations; choosing one over the other can be vital to  expressing a story or idea. Building vocabulary in music is just as important. Not only does it help culminate your overall style, as stated above, but it also can be the difference between a good solo and a great solo. Having a limited vocabulary means you can only say so much in a particular way. The last thing an artist wants is to be limited. While one lick might fit and work well in a part of a song, there might be another thats able to display an emotion even more perfect. Composers and improvisers agonize over these nuances just as much as poets and novelists agonize over their word choices. A musician decides on music ideas just as a poet might decide to say “glorious” rather than “cool.” Put it into practice:  Listen to the same song done by two different artists. Choosing some unexpected covers to compare is a fun idea. See what differences of “vocabulary” they each end up choosing. Often, an artist may choose to express an idea thats exactly the same basically reciting what the artist before them did. If you pay close attention, many artists will choose subtle differences in licks or chord voicings to show how they think the song should be played. Learn both versions and compare! Speaking With the Right Nuances Another thing musicians spend a fair amount of time on is contemplating the “interpretations” of composers. This means that it’s not only important to play the notes correctly, but to express them in a very specific way. Think about it the way we say things in  our spoken language can sometimes be even more important than the words we’re actually saying. If you were speaking to your child and asked him or her  to make their bed very nicely, that might get the job done. If the child  still didn’t make the bed, however, you could repeat those same exact words but say them in a much sterner manner. Its likely that this change in tone will elicit a different response. Similarly, musicians focus on a lot of nuances with their music how to attack each note, how loud or soft to play (dynamics), how to phrase musical ideas, and so on. The list of nuances is almost endless! Understanding the Details This same idea can cross over to styles of music. I had a jazz professor who would consistently tell students who had trouble swinging, “You’re saying the right thing, but you’re speaking French with a Russian accent it ain’t right!” This meant that even though somebody was playing the right notes for it to be considered jazz, the nuances didn’t quite fit with the style, and, therefore, sounded funny. This is exactly why someone who speaks the native tongue of a country can always tell if someone else hasn’t learned it as their first language. Sure, the words are right, but it sounds forced and foreign. It takes a lot of learning and practice to sound natural. A lot of people don’t realize that these subtleties are what make a piece of music so powerful. Put it into practice:  Start actively listening to ways people approach certain musical phrases and try to identify what makes one style different than another. If you’re a musician, try this with your own playing. What are other ways you can interpret the same phrase? Do you have trouble playing a particular style of music even though you can technically play the notes correctly? Look at what nuances you might have to add! The Takeaway These concepts are only the tip of the iceberg! All of the world’s best musicians are great because they have become so fluent in the language of music. If you’re learning music, use these approaches to improve your skills.  If you’re a seasoned pro, you can always improve your musical fluency.  Happy practicing! Guest  Author: Mike Lowden Mike Lowden has been playing the guitar for as long as he can remember, and enjoys playing every type of music that he can get his hands on. Mike has education from the Berklee College of Music, and studied Jazz at the University of Akron. Now the guitar instructor and co-owner of Falls Music School, in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, his mission is not only to teach music students at the school, but also through online content. Photo by Nic McPhee Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

3 Secrets to Getting Better at Your Job (While Also Preparing Yourself for the Next Level) - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / 3 Secrets to Getting Better at Your Job (While Also Preparing Yourself for the Next Level) - Introvert Whisperer 3 Secrets to Getting Better at Your Job (While Also Preparing Yourself for the Next Level) What the heck are you supposed to do? The job you have now is fine?it pays pretty well, pushes you, and is somewhat enjoyable?but you really want to move up to the next level. Problem is: some of the skills you need to continue honing for your current job won’t necessarily help you get that promotion. And unfortunately, you don’t have enough time to give 100% of your focus to developing skills for both jobs. Is there a way to have the best of both worlds? Luckily, there is:   By being intentional about your professional development schedule.   I learned this the hard way when I found myself in this exact position earlier this year. I wanted to improve my digital marketing skills so I could take on more clients at my agency, but also wanted to dive into the world of data analysis. After nearly 6 months of frustration, I found a formula that allowed me to do both. 3 Secrets to Finding Balance with Your Professional Development 1. Set a strict schedule for learning (either in the morning before work, or late at night). It’s obvious that you need to schedule time for professional development outside of work if you want to reach your goals, but most people miss one really important thing… You have to be strict about what you do during this time. If you don’t know exactly what you’ll be doing and when you’ll be doing it beforehand, you’ll get distracted and overwhelmed. So, it’s important to: Set a strict schedule as far as what you’ll be learning during your professional development time. Example: I’ll spend 30 minutes reading a book on marketing and 30 minutes doing coding exercises. Put your phone away and ignore emails?give 100% of your attention to learning during this time. Build this time into your schedule. Whether you do it every weekday or once a week, put it in your calendar and it will soon become a habit. 2. Focus on developing overlapping skills. Some skills you’ll need for that next-level job will also apply to your current job. Identify and focus on those. Often, these overlapping skills will be broad and include things like: Project management Strategy Business Admin Once you’re confident in these skills, move on to the specific skills you’ll need for the next job. This allows you to approach the expert level with your current job so you can eventually shift the focus of your professional development. 3. Realize that most of your learning will come from experimentation (not reading books or taking courses). A lot of people have a misconception when it comes to learning new skills. They think that in order to acquire new skills, they have to: Go back to school Read books And go to workshops These things are great, but they can only get you so far. The majority of learning and skill development comes from experimentation. “For the things we have to learn before we do them, we learn by doing them.” Aristotle Think about learning how to play a sport, or even how to ride a bike… You can listen to instructions, read books, and even get coaching, but you’ll only get so far before you have to do something. So, how can you apply this to your professional development? I recommend either: Taking on new projects at work that you’re interested in (that require the skill you want to develop). Creating your own project outside of work that allows you to apply the skill you want to learn in a context you love (example: doing a data science project to figure out how to craft the perfect fantasy football team). The process of trial and error is often the best teacher. You Can Have the Best of Both Worlds You don’t have to sacrifice getting better at your current job to prepare yourself for the next step in your career. You can structure your professional development in such a way that allows you to do both at the same time. It’s amazing how much even 30 minutes of learning and experimentation each day can do for your career. Author Bio

4 Classes Most Middle Schoolers Will Take

4 Classes Most Middle Schoolers Will Take During middle school, your child will likely start having more options in their academic schedule. They may get to choose a foreign language, in addition to electives like art, home economics, music, and technology. Their core classes are likely to stay the same, and are usually less flexible than, for example, in high school and college. While there may be some variance depending on the school, there are four classes that your middle schooler can generally expect to takealgebra, language arts, biology, and social studies. It can be beneficial for your student to know what they can expect to learn during their middle school years. Keep reading to learn about the four classes most middle schoolers will take. 1. Algebra Algebra (a branch of mathematics) refers to the use of symbols and is the foundation for many math- and science-based areas of study, including engineering and medicine. In this course, your middle schooler will learn items like the following: Solving for x The FOIL method Your middle schooler may need a graphing calculator, but be sure to check with your childs teacher or school before purchasing one. Note, too, that some middle schools offer pre-algebra in addition to algebra courses. [RELATED: Whats Going On In Your Middle Schoolers Head?] 2. Language arts A middle school language arts course will continue to build on the skills, concepts, and genres your child has already been exposed to in elementary school. Theyll likely learn how to write longer essays, learn how to more deeply analyze a character and sustain a longer argument, and learn how to use resources to support a thesis. Theyll also likely learn how to use citations. Continue to encourage your child to read material they find interesting, like a topic that relates to one of their hobbies or other passions. Graphic novels, podcasts, and audio books at this age are great as well. Reading aloud together is an excellent activity for middle schoolers too. 3. Biology While most elementary schools generally teach science, a lot of middle schools may offer biology as a specific course or have biology as a major unit within a general science class. In a biology unit or course, students will learn more specifically about life and living organismseverything from insects, to plants, to people. Theyll learn about genetics and the human body. Theyll also learn about how living organisms interact with the earth, using and transforming energy. In biology, your middle schooler may also experience their first dissection. [RELATED: 5 Tactics to Encourage Academic Confidence in Your Middle Schooler] 4. Social studies Social studies is a broad term that many people use synonymously with history, but it actually encompasses geography, sociology, civics, anthropology, government, and economics, in addition to history. Expect your child to learn about local, state, national, and international aspects of each of these studies. Social studies assignments are sometimes connected to a community service project or other kind of civic engagement. Discussing the news and current events with your child is a great way to engage with what theyre learning in social studies. [RELATED: How Parents Can Help Students Setand AchieveAcademic Goals] These four courses will help your middle school student practice foundational skills and set them up for success in high school and college. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

Free algebra help - Addition and Subtraction

Free algebra help - Addition and Subtraction Addition is a type of arithmetic operation which combines two numbers or terms into a single number or term. Subtraction is just opposite to addition. It is the difference of numbers or terms. The resultant can be either positive or negative. If both the terms are equal then the resultant is zero. If two sides of an equation are equal like a= b, then if we add or subtract the same value on both sides still it will be equal. x = y x + p = y + p x p = y - p 1) Fill in the blank ___- 23 = -17 Answer: 6 2) Add 3x + 5x + 2 and 4x +2x +10 Answer: (3x + 5x + 2) + (4x +2x +10) = (3x + 4x) + (5x+2x) + (2+10) = 7x + 7x +12 3) Simplify (8x + 9x -3) (4x -4x +7) Answer: 8x + 9x -3 - 4x + 4x -7 = (8x - 4x) + (9x +4x) (3 + 7) = 4x + 13x 10 4) Simplify (8x +2x + 1) + (6x - 3x) Answer: 8x + 2x + 1 + 6x - 3x = 8x + 6x + (2x 3x) + 1 = 8x + 6x - x + 1 5) n + 9 = 42, 12 + p = n, Solve for n and p Answer: n + 9 = 42 n = 33 12 + p = 33 P = 21

Dicas para ninguém botar defeito! Será

Dicas para ninguém botar defeito! Será Image courtesy of  Carla S. FloresUma das minhas táticas para manter o conhecimento do idioma sempre atualizado é ler notícias em Inglês, muitas delas sobre o Brasil. Esta semana, no meu passeio semanal para ver o que o mundo fala do nosso país, me deparei com um artigo do The Guardian. A idéia por trás da matéria do jornal britânico é dar 10 dicas para que os turistas consigam gastar pouco e conhecer o país, sem sacrificar a sua segurança.Entre as coisas que achei mais curiosas está a indicação das comunidades do Vidigal e Tavares Bastos como bons locais para ficar hospedado no Rio.  Há uns anos atrás seria impensável, mas atualmente um jornal internacional aponta esses locais como boas opções para turistas. É um grande avanço, sem dúvida.Além disso, na parte sobre como viajar dentro do Brasil,  o pessoal do The Guardian recomendou que os turistas viagem de ônibus para longas distâncias. Isso, claro, se não comprarem passagens antecipadamente, já que em c ima da hora viajar de avião dentro do Brasil é caríssimo, e se tiverem tempo para se deslocar assim.Apesar de o foco principal da matéria ser no Rio de Janeiro, até falaram de outras regiões do país. Na minha opinião, pecaram ao dizer que São Paulo é sem graça, a não ser pela arte. Se até eu acho isso feio e sou carioca, imagina quem é de lá!Mas, mudando de assunto, quando falaram da comida cometeram uma gafe ainda maior. Tudo bem, no Brasil a gente come muito arroz, feijão e mandioca, mas não estou vendo nenhum vegetariano feliz em comer o nosso típico feijão com arroz. Segundo eles, tendo em conta esses três ingredientes, os vegetarianos ficariam felizes. Pensem comigo no momento em que um vegetariano encontra a carne do feijão. Outra, para comer na rua recomendaram milho cozido e coração de galinha. Quando foi a última vez que vocês comeram coração de galinha na rua? É que eu nunca comi!Estes foram apenas alguns exemplos do que eu achei caricato, mas r ecomendo a leitura do artigo. Acredito que é nesse tipo de matéria que a gente vê como a questão cultural é importante, não só quando estamos aprendendo um idioma, mas quando vamos visitar outro país. Claro que, em alguns casos, as matérias generalizam e partem de pressupostos errados. Outras, no entanto, são feitas com o maior cuidado. Adorava saber qual é a opinião de vocês sobre o artigo do The Guardian.

Superbug Now Reported In The U.S.

Superbug Now Reported In The U.S. Photo Via: http://patrick.net On Thursday, researchers reported the sudden appearance of a much dreaded, drug-resistant, “superbug,” for the first time in the U.S. This superbug has a particular genetic variation that makes it completely unstoppable, even by the last-ditch antibiotic called colistin. It’s already made appearances in Europe and in China, but this is the first time it has appeared in the U.S, which is making doctors extremely worried for the health of the general population. Still, this isn’t something to be worried about quite yet. This first appeared in a case with a woman in Pennsylvania that had symptoms of a UTI (urinary tract infection) but instead had a mutated, E. coli germ. Still, there hasn’t been any large-scale spread of the bug, and this particular one was actually susceptible to other drugs. So what exactly is the problem? To put it simply: there is a mutated gene in this bug that’s making it drug-resistant. This gene, called the mcr-1, is passed from bacteria to bacteria. It sits on plasmid, a material within a bacteria, and waits to be passed to the next one. The problem is that this E. coli bacteria that houses the mcr-1 gene might actually get passed to another superbug with mutations of its own, creating a bug that isn’t at all susceptible to any known antibiotics. According to Dr. Tom Frieden, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “If such a superbug spread, it would take the world back to a time when there were no antibiotics … It is the end of the road for antibiotics unless we act urgently.” Luckily, this bug is staying under wraps for now, as the woman in which we first saw the mutated gene hadn’t travelled and luckily hadn’t passed this to anyone else. Since this case, researchers have been on the lookout for any sign of another case, and unfortunately came across one. This new case was reportedly found this past Thursday. It’s another E. coli bacteria that houses the mcr-1 mutation. And because the bit of DNA present is something that bacteria can easily swap amongst themselves, this mutation helps it to fight off the effects of colistin. According to Frieden, “It was an old antibiotic, but it was the only one left for what I called nightmare bacteria, carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae, or CRE.” And luckily, the mutated bacteria ended up being susceptible to carbapenems. However, it was still resistant to many other antibiotics. So we’re not completely out of the woods yet. Of course, this search for the mutation has only been underway for about three weeks, so there’s no telling how widespread the bacteria has gone. According to Frieden, “We know now that the more we look, the more we are going to find … The more we look at drug resistance, the more concerned we become.” This same mutation was already recently found in a pig. According to the report: “Out of 949 animal samples screened so far, one strain of colistin-resistant E. coli was found in a pig intestinal sample The DNA sequence of this isolate revealed that the strain contained the mcr-1 gene on a plasmid. The scientists also determined that the mcr-1 carrying colistin-resistant E. coli is resistant to other antiobiotics including ampicillin, streptomycin, sulfisoxazole, and tetracycline.” The CDC has been warning the public about this drug-resistant bacteria for years. In fact, it has actually been urging drug companies to begin developing new antibiotics and urging the public to utilize the ones currently available to protect themselves against this superbug potential. Even though this woman in Pennsylvania appears to be an isolated case, the state health department is still working with the CDC to test the patient and her family as well as others in the area to ensure this bacteria hasn’t spread. This is especially dangerous because there are no illnesses or symptoms necessarily involved with this bacteria, so the carrier may not even know they have it. Because of this, the researchers are asking that everyone be on alert as research progresses. Of course, there have been similar reports of patients carrying the bacteria that houses the mcr-1 mutation in other countries, but these reports are very skimpy on details as well. And to add to the problem, colistin, that last-ditch antibiotic, is typically unused because of the harsh side-effects including major kidney damage. And, to top it all off, several of these international cases in which patients have been infected involve a CRE bacteria that carries the mcr-1 gene mutation. And if this is happening in other countries, it’s probably already here as well. And to make matters worse, bacteria actually develops resistance to drugs fairly quickly so even if there were an option, it won’t be a viable one for very long. According to the CDC, “more than two million people are infected by drug-resistant germs each year, and 23,000 die of their infections.” So in the near future, it’s going to be extremely important that we keep an eye on our health, and be sure to stay up-to-date on the news, just in case this becomes a national crisis. To read more on this alarming news, visit NBC News.